1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an automobile side airbag guide plate, and more particularly, to an automobile side airbag guide plate enabling stable deployment of a side airbag installed between a roof panel and a head liner into the automobile upon collision.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An automobile airbag, like a safety belt, is a device for protecting a driver/passenger from injury in a collision.
Airbags may be installed in the steering wheel in front of the driver seat, in the glove box in front of the passenger seat, and at both sides of the automobile, i.e., between head liners adjacent to doors and roof panels. The airbags, along with safety belts, function using a collision detection sensor and an electronic control unit (ECU) to protect passengers in a collision.
In a collision, the collision detection sensor outputs a detection signal to the ECU, the ECU activates the airbag, and the airbag is then inflated by an inflator.
The inflator is connected to the airbag, which is initially in a folded state, and is operated by the ECU. A built-in heater heats up to ignite gunpowder and instantly combust a gas generation agent such that a large amount of nitrogen gas (hereinafter, referred to simply as “gas”) is rapidly injected into the airbag to expand the airbag.
Thus, the airbag inflates upon collision to protect the driver and passenger(s) from impact to the head and upper torso.
The side airbags function to prevent injury due to impact against doors of the automobile in a sideways collision, which will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, a side airbag 10 (hereinafter, referred to as an “airbag module”) is installed to be deployed toward a center pillar, i.e., a B-pillar installed between a roof panel (not shown), and a head liner 4.
The airbag module 10 includes an inflator 20 installed therein and controlled by an ECU (not shown) depending on collision intensity to inject a large amount of gas into an airbag tube 16.
Referring to FIG. 2, a plurality of inner panels 6 and reinforcement brackets 8 installed between the roof panel and the head liner 4. The head liner 4 includes a door trim and a center pillar 2 installed adjacent to each other.
That is, the head liner 4 has a threshold 4a stepped toward the inner panels 6. The threshold 4a is installed adjacent to an upper end of the center pillar 2.
As described above, the airbag module 10 is installed adjacent to the head liner 4 and the center pillar 2.
The airbag module 10 is installed at one side of a housing 12, i.e., a mounting part 12a is bolted to the inner panel 6, and an airbag tube 16 is disposed in the housing 12 in a folded state. A door 12b is installed at one side of the housing 12 to be opened by the airbag tube 16.
Specifically, the door 12b opened by the airbag tube 16 is detached from the housing 12 at its upper end when the airbag rube 12b is deployed, and then is rotated to be in contact with an upper end of the center pillar 2, thereby blocking a space between the center pillar 2 and the inner panel 6 to stably guide deployment of the airbag tube 16.
In addition, since the center pillar 2 in contact with the head liner 4 includes a seat belt (not shown) installed therein such that the center pillar 2 projects inward from the automobile, it is possible to prevent the airbag tube 16 from entering into a space between the center pillar 2 and the inner panel 6 when the airbag tube 16 is deployed.
In addition, a guide plate 14 is installed at a lower surface of the housing 12, i.e., a surface adjacent to the center pillar 2, such that the airbag tube 16 is deployed to be in contact with the inner panel 6 and control rotation of the lower surface of the housing 12 to put the door 12b in stable contact with the center pillar 2.
That is, the airbag tube 16 is deployed such that the lower surface of the housing 12 is pushed downward at the same time the upper end of the door 12b is detached from the housing 12. At this time, the housing 12 and the guide plate 14 are in contact with the inner panel 6 to control rotation of the lower surface of the housing 12, and the door 12b is in stable contact with the upper end of the center pillar 2 to block a space between the center pillar 2 and the inner panel 6, thereby preventing the airbag tube 16 from entering into the space.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 with an imaginary line, the airbag tube 16 is stably deployed into the automobile, not into the space between the center pillar 2 and the inner panel 6, by blocking the space between the center pillar 2 and the inner panel 6 using the guide plate 14 and the door 12b of the housing 12, thereby effectively protecting the side of the head and upper torso.
Here, as shown by the imagery line of FIG. 2, the head liner 4 has an opening line separated from the upper end of the center pillar 2 by the door 12b so that the airbag tube 16 is discharged through the opening and deployed into the automobile.
Meanwhile, since the airbag tube 16 inflates at a high speed and under high pressure, the head liner 4 guides deployment of the airbag tube 16 along the opening line.
However, the head liner 4 is sequentially opened from a rear end, at which the inflator 20 is disposed, to a front end of the automobile, together with deployment of the airbag tube 16.
At this time, the opening line of the head liner 4 projects more than an initial installation position from the center pillar 2 into the interior of the automobile, and is depressed less than an initial installation position from both sides of the center pillar 2 into the chassis, i.e., the inner panel 6. As a result, the head liner 4 around the center pillar 2 cannot be smoothly opened thereby hindering smooth deployment of the airbag tube 16 and endangering the driver/passenger.
The guide plate 14 is also a very important component of the airbag module 10 which may determine survival of the driver/passenger in a collision. However, since the guide plate 14 rotated with the lower surface of the housing 12 has a simple plate shape which is not very strong, it may be broken due to gas pressure when the airbag tube 16 is deployed, rather than being in contact with the inner panel 6 to absorb shock.
In this case, the door 12b formed of a thin film collides with the upper end of the center pillar 2 and is damaged or folded and inserted between the center pillar 2 and the inner panel 6. As a result, the deployed airbag tube 16 may enter into a space between the center pillar 2 and the inner panel 6, thereby failing to prevent injury of the driver/passenger.
In addition, since the guide plate 14 has a simple plate structure which is not very strong, when the airbag tube 16 is deployed, the guide plate 14 may be rotated with the lower surface of the housing 12 by gas pressure, thereby contacting the inner panel 6 and sustaining damage.
As a result, the deployed airbag tube 16 may enter between the center pillar 2 and the inner panel 6 and thus fail to perform its function of protecting the driver/passenger. Further, it is not possible to replace a broken guide plate 14.
The airbag module installed at the side of the automobile along the entire side part of a roof liner is generally referred to as a “side airbag” or “curtain air bag.”
Another problem with the side airbag is that an inner guide may be deformed due to external impact, and since there is no auxiliary guide member at both sides of the side airbag, deployment of the airbag may be obstructed.